ɗɼიթ
by ghoulprincess
Summary: ThunderClan wants war. Between the shadows of the real world and dream world, spirits lurk. Two minds merge. Will they be able to stop death from taking their clan?
1. ƇɧɑթȶɛՒƟɳɛ

**≈Ɍɩɤɛɼʗʆɑɲ≈**

**Swallowstar: **black-and-white she-cat with light blue eyes.

**Railheart: **brown tabby tom with yellow eyes.

**Mistpelt: **gray she-cat with blue eyes.

**Pebblepaw: **small long-haired brown tabby she-cat with light green eyes.

_warriors_

**Blackclaw: **black tom with golden eyes.

**Willowface: **beautiful gray tabby she-cat with yellow eyes.

**Gannetfur: **calico she-cat with orange eyes.

**Rowanfoot: **dark ginger tom with green eyes.

**Avocetfang: **black-and-white tom with blue eyes. _apprentice is Snailpaw_

**Alderwhisker: **long-haired dark brown tabby tom with green eyes.

**Moleclaw: **long-haired black she-cat with yellow eyes. _apprentice is Orchidpaw_

**Leechtail: **long-haired tortoiseshell tabby she-cat with yellow eyes. _apprentice is Lionpaw_

**Blizzardstorm: **white she-cat with green eyes. _apprentice is Eveningpaw_

**Owlclaw: **burly long-haired brown tabby tom with yellow eyes and a large scar across muzzle.

**Waxheart: **cream tabby she-cat with copper eyes. _apprentice is Asphodelpaw_

**Minnownose: **tall gray tabby she-cat with pale blue eyes and a white tailtip.

**Cranefoot: **pale gray tom with orange eyes.

_apprentices_

**Snailpaw: **long-haired brown tabby tom with yellow eyes.

**Eveningpaw: **dark gray tabby she-cat with golden eyes.

**Orchidpaw: **pale gray she-cat with orange eyes.

**Lionpaw: **golden ginger tabby she-cat with orange eyes and a white neck and underbelly.

**Asphodelpaw: **ginger tabby tom with green eyes and a white underbelly.

_queens_

**Plumflower: **long-haired white she-cat with copper eyes.

_elders_

**Losteye: **calico she-cat with one amber eye.

**Redfang: **ginger tabby tom with green eyes.

* * *

**◈ƇɧɑթȶɛՒƟɳɛ**

It was greenleaf, and Pebblepaw was out on the riverside searching for herbs with her mentor, Mistpelt. The river looked extraordinarily beautiful with sunlight glistening across its dark, churning surface. Pebblepaw padded over to a patch of watermint, a purr rising in her throat; she liked the way the cool, soft mud felt between her toes, and how the breeze was gentle as it caressed her long tabby pelt. She swished her bushy tail happily as she sniffed the watermint at her feet.

"Pebblepaw, the watermint is for gathering, not sniffing." Her mentor teasingly meowed. The gray she-cat was beside a cluster of bright yellow flowers, which Pebblepaw immediately recognized as marigold. She had been a medicine cat apprentice for a few moons, but she was already fairly acquainted with the territory's herbs. Mistpelt said it was because of her attentiveness, but Pebblepaw argued that it was because Mistpelt is such a good mentor.

"I know, I know! I just really like flowers. Everything's so pretty," the brown tabby purred as she tugged at the watermint's stem. As she pulled, she heard Mistpelt chuckle.

"You like flowers, hmm? What's watermint for, then?"

"Bellyache." Pebblepaw looked up toward Mistpelt as she dropped some watermint at her paws. "And... marigold's for... infection and bleeding!"

"Close, dear one. You're forgetting something."

"Something about stiff joints?"

"Inflammation. It's when an injury," Mistpelt yanked another stem of marigold from the cool river soil, "or irritation hurts, swells, and burns."

Pebblepaw met Mistpelt's gaze and cocked her head. She asked, "Is that why the word flame is in it?", and the pretty medicine cat smiled.

"Presumably," she mewed. The medicine cat leaned over and inspected Pebblepaw's batch of watermint. "This is enough for the time being," Mistpelt said as she glanced at the darkening sky, "it's nearly dusk, we'd best be back to camp. Come along now, Pebblepaw. You did well today."

Pebblepaw muttered a shy thank-you and beamed at the praise. She followed Mistpelt back to camp with even higher spirits, watermint clutched between her teeth and a purr still in her throat.

* * *

The RiverClan camp clearing was full of cats, and Pebblepaw looked at Mistpelt nervously. It appeared they hadn't started the meeting yet, as Railheart had pulled Swallowstar down from the treestump and was whispering something into her ear. The sky was already dark when they entered. Mistpelt started for the medicine cat den, flicking her tail and nudging Pebblepaw with her flank, gesturing for her to follow.

After depositing their freshly gathered herbs, both medicine cats padded into the clearing just as Swallowstar jumped onto the treestump. The cacophony of whispers turned to silence as Swallowstar gazed out at the clan. Finally, after a few heartbeats of quiet, the black-and-white leader spoke.

"ThunderClan scent is within our borders," her deep, rough voice vibrated and tickled Pebblepaw's ears. A few mumbles rose inside the crowd, "upon further analyzation we found that they have been stealing our prey."

_Our prey? It's greenleaf, why in the name of StarClan would they do that? _Pebblepaw thought, her hackles rising. The few mumbles grew to several aggravated murmurs.

Railheart, who was sitting on the ground beside the treestump, spoke up. "We've reason to believe they are provoking us. Swallowstar and I are certain they want more than RiverClan's prey."

"What are we going to do?" A pale gray apprentice questioned just as her dark tabby sister howled, "If I see any ThunderClan _scum _on our territory I'll rip them to shreds!" Which was followed by agreeing growls and hisses.

"Quiet!" Swallowstar shouted, and the clanmates shut up. "The next Gathering will be within a half-moon. We will confront ThunderClan there. Hopefully it was a few stupid apprentices, but I highly doubt it. Until then patrols will be increased. No cat is to leave the camp alone, understood, RiverClan?"

"And what shall we do if we catch any ThunderClan cats on our territory?" Pebblepaw turned her head to the right, easily finding her long-haired brother among the other clanmates.

"Fighting will be a last resort. Chase them off, if you can." Swallowstar looked over the cats again, then nodded her head and jumped off the treestump. "You are all dismissed," the she-cat meowed and turned to Railheart, "Gather a border patrol. Take no less than five cats."

"Yes, Swallowstar."

Pebblepaw watched as the cats dispersed, her stomach grumbling. She realized she hadn't eaten since the morning, and began to trot to the fresh-kill pile when a pretty ginger she-cat rubbed up against her flank.

"Lionpaw!" Pebblepaw purred, her pale green eyes shining as her friend gave her a lick on the shoulder.

"I don't think I've talked to you since yesterday!" Lionpaw meowed. She was obviously excited, practically bouncing as she followed the medicine cat apprentice to the fresh-kill pile. "I was on the patrol that smelled ThunderClan! I even saw some pawprints and blood from their kill!"

"And why exactly are you so aflutter about this?" Pebblepaw asked as she grabbed a minnow from the pile.

"Dunno!" She sat next to Pebblepaw and watched her bite into the little fish. "Snailpaw was with us. For some reason, whenever he's on a patrol with you, you just know it's gonna be entertaining. He took one sniff of the trespassers and made such a disgusted face! Like this!" Lionpaw her nose up and squinted her brilliant orange eyes. Pebblepaw burst into laughter, nearly choking on her minnow. "I started laughing at him and he blushed so bad! The tips of his ears were as red as a cardinal!"

Lionpaw didn't seem at all concerned about the ThunderClan invaders. Her jovial nature was somehow infectious; the anxiety that had been building up inside Pebblepaw began to fade away.

* * *

Later that night, Pebblepaw curled up in her nest, her tail lightly brushing her pink nose. Mistpelt's soft snores lulled her to sleep. Slowly, her eyes closed...

... and opened to a dark forest. A shriek pierced the air. "Let all who oppose me _choke _on their blood!"

Pebblepaw yelped and skittered across the grass, her bottom bumping into a tree's rough bark. _What's going on? _The apprentice thought, her wide eyes frantically scanning the territory before her. It didn't look like RiverClan. This place was unfamiliar to her, and the scent that filled her nostrils was sharp and heavy and utterly unknown. Her muzzle trembled, her unsheathed paws scoring the ground.

"And who are you?" The voice came behind her. Breath tickled the hairs inside her ear. She jumped, tearing away from the tree, and turning to see a dark brown she-cat coming out of the bark. Her mouth was covered in blood. When she saw the look on Pebblepaw's face, her mouth broke out into a vicious smile, her fangs stained red. "You don't belong here," the tabby drawled. Pebblepaw watched, frozen in fear, as the she-cat emerged from the tree.

The strange cat approached, her yellow eyes glinting like whitehot lightning.


	2. ƇɧɑթȶɛՒƮωი

**◈ƇɧɑթȶɛՒƮωი**

A mouselength away, the stench of her breath reminded Pebblepaw of rotten fresh-kill. She gazed into the spotted tabby's eyes, terrified but unable to move. The she-cat snarled, crouching, the fur along her spine rising. "Get. _Out._"

Pebblepaw screamed, her eyes snapping shut as the she-cat's voice enveloped her. "_GET OUT NOW_!"

When she opened her eyes, sunlight was filtering into the den. Her heart beat quickly and she could feel the blood pumping in her ears. Mistpelt stood over her, blue eyes concerned. Pebblepaw sat up and blinked.

"You wailed. Having nightmares again?" Mistpelt asked. Pebblepaw could feel the medicine cat's gaze on her as she started to lick her tangled fur down. "You really should take poppyseeds before you sleep. I think that would help-"

"I'm fine. Besides, I don't want to waste our herbs. Better save them for someone who really needs them." She interrupted. She caught her mentor's stare and paused. The gray cat was obviously worried about her; Pebblepaw had been having nightmares even since she lived in the nursery. Mistpelt twitched her whiskers, and parted her jaws as if to say something, but after Pebblepaw squinted her eyes and flicked her ears, she closed them. "I'll go check on Plumflower," the apprentice mumbled, and padded off.

When Pebblepaw left the den, she shivered and glanced up at the sky. It was a cloudy day and the scent of rain was on the air. Dew covered the thick blades of grass under her paws; Pebblepaw liked how they felt against her pawpads as she crossed the camp clearing. The nursery was nestled between the apprentices' den and the warriors' den, the safest place in camp for it to be; it was a large bramble bush with patches of sedge growing around it. From a tail-length away, Pebblepaw could smell the sour-sweet scent of milk. She ducked under the prickly vines and entered the den.

Plumflower sat in her nest, tail twitching idly as she watched Lionpaw play with her tiny kits. Pebblepaw nodded her head at the queen when she looked at her. "Hi, Pebblepaw," the white she-cat meowed, and Lionpaw glanced up.

"Hi, how's-" She barely got out a few words before a scruffy white kit pounced on her and bit down on the thick fur around her neck. Lionpaw giggled and rolled over, letting the kitten attack her while his littermate pawed at her waving, striped tail.

"I see Cherrykit and Mallowkit are doing just fine," Pebblepaw mused, walking over to where Plumflower lay. "How are you feeling? Has Lionpaw been taking care of you?"

"I'm doing just fine as well," the queen meowed, turning her gaze upon Lionpaw who was playfully and gently batting at Cherrykit's ears. "She's also doing just fine. She really likes kittens," Plumflower chuckled and looked back at Pebblepaw, "a real -flower if I do say so myself. She brought me prey and helped clean the kits."

Before Pebblepaw could reply, a clanmate yowled from outside of the nursery. The medicine cat apprentice shared a confused look with Plumflower and Lionpaw before they left the den to see a patrol of cats cluttered around the entrance. Pebblepaw saw a flash of gray as Mistpelt ran across the clearing, turning her head to the side as she noticed her apprentice next to the nursery. Pebblepaw pelted after her. The smell of blood wafted into Pebblepaw's nose the closer she got to the patrol, and she hesitated, flashbacks to her dream clouding her mind.

"Come _on!_" Mistpelt growled at her and she quickened, tearing to a stop when she reached the cats. The patrol consisted of Moleclaw, her apprentice Orchidpaw, Waxheart and her apprentice Asphodelpaw, Owlclaw, and Pebblepaw's father, Alderwhisker. Her father squinted his light green eyes at her when she met his gaze, and then turned his muzzle in Moleclaw's direction. The black she-cat had blood running down the side of her face. Pebblepaw followed the blood trail up to her ear; it looked like it had been bit on the tip... or, where the tip of her ear once was.

Behind them, Railheart and Swallowstar skittered to a stop.

"What in the name of StarClan happened?" Swallowstar rasped.

"ThunderClan," Moleclaw growled, her mouth drawn up in snarl. Her fangs were dripping with blood. Pebblepaw quivered, her eyes wide and frightened. Moleclaw noticed her and flicked her uninjured ear as if to say, '_What's your deal?_'. Mistpelt rubbed her flank on the long-haired warrior's side, gesturing for her to follow her to the medicine cats' den.

The rest of the patrol explained the situation to the leader and deputy; two ThunderClan warriors were on their territory, and after a few attempts of trying to scare them off, Moleclaw leapt at them when they had insulted RiverClan. The feisty warrior clawed one across the face, he fled, thinking that the rest of the RiverClan patrol would pounce, but the other one, a diluted calico she-cat, had stayed and fought with Moleclaw. She took a bite out of Moleclaw's ear and Moleclaw bit down on the she-cat's face. 'We think she damaged her eye,' Orchidpaw had meowed.

"Pebblepaw, bring some cobweb and horsetail."

"Yes ma'am."

"Patch her ear up."

"Yes ma'am."

This was Pebblepaw's second time treating an injured warrior; the first time was when Eveningpaw got bit by a watervole. The gray she-cat had said she was better at fishing.

Moleclaw winced when Pebblepaw applied the chewed-up horsetail poultice to her ear after soaking up the blood with the cobweb. When the poultice was applied, Mistpelt handed her apprentice more cobweb and the tabby patched up Moleclaw's ear. Just as Pebblepaw finished, Swallowstar's deep mellifluous voice rang across camp. "Let all cats old enough to swim gather to hear my words!"


	3. ƇɧɑթȶɛՒƮɧՒɛɛ

**hello lovelies, ghoul here. just wanted to say this chapter is a tad longer than normal, mostly because i'm adding thunderclan's allegiances at the end of it. thanks ~ **

**enjoy &amp; rr!**

* * *

**◈ƇɧɑթȶɛՒƮ**ɧ**Ւ**ɛ****ɛ********

Moleclaw pushed past Pebblepaw and into the clearing, then Mistpelt pushed past, and Pebblepaw followed.

"It seems we cannot wait until the Gathering to confront ThunderClan about breaching our borders. They have been pushing us around ever since leaf-bare. We are too-"

"Swallowstar."

Heads turned. At the entrance of the camp stood a tall, fluffy white tom with glaring copper eyes. Pebblepaw's ears pinned down on her head and several cats hissed. It was Palestar, the leader of ThunderClan. Around him stood a silver tabby she-cat, a black tom, a ginger-and-white tom, and... a diluted calico she-cat with cobwebs smeared on the left side of her face. Pebblepaw gaped, and beside her, Moleclaw tautened, a hiss escaping from her muzzle. Swallowstar jumped down the stump and ran across the clearing, cats parting to make way for her and Railheart.

"Palestar," Swallowstar growled. She seemed to be struggling to keep hostility out of her voice, but it was evident she was extremely angry. Her hackles rose and her ears swiveled back. Pebblepaw had never seen Swallowstar this seethingly mad.

The ThunderClan leader looked straight at her, a smile on his mouth. He dipped his head mockingly at the black-and-white she-cat as she and her deputy approached and stood before him. Around the patrol, RiverClan cats gathered, blocking the ThunderClan trespassers from the entrance and disallowing route for their escape should they think to do it. The diluted calico hissed under her breath, "Fishfaces." The small black tom beside her bumped her with his shoulder and she closed her jaws.

"Palestar," the RiverClan leader began again, "ThunderClan has need to explain themselves. You do realize your warriors have been crossing our border, stealing our prey, and attacking our warriors?"

"You attacked first, fish-breath!" The calico snapped, earning her a swat on the flank from the black tom.

"_Hush_, Morningfoot!"

"Morningfoot is right, though," Palestar meowed, sizing up Swallowstar with narrowed eyes. He took a step closer to her but Railheart intercepted him, the deputy's hackles rising. Palestar lifted his brow at the tom and took a step back, though he glanced at Swallowstar once again. "Your warrior attacked mine. We fear that Morningfoot will lose sight in her left eye."

"It was her fault just as much as it is yours," Swallowstar's voice was steely, "your warriors crossed our border. Your warriors did not retreat when our patrol warned you of your trespassing. Moleclaw did what she had to do, but it could've went bloodless if your warriors had not ignored our warnings, or even trespassed in the first place!" She took a deep breath. Palestar's eyes were wide but Pebblepaw could see even from where she was that he was amused by Swallowstar's outrage.

"What are you here for, Palestar?" Railheart meowed, his voice steady, though it betrayed an underlying hint of aggression. The ThunderClan leader didn't look away from Swallowstar.

"ThunderClan wants the Broken Tree. We want the area around the Broken Tree. All of it." He circled Swallowstar and Railheart, tail lashing. "You fox-hearted Rivercats have had what is rightfully ThunderClan's for far too long. The Broken Tree has been in RiverClan's territory before I even became a warrior!"

Pebblepaw twitched her whiskers, watching Palestar and his patrol steadily. The Broken Tree had been RiverClan's for her whole life. It was beside ThunderClan's border, a clearing in the forest, a tree that had been struck in half by lightning long ago. The grass was thick and, to Pebblepaw's knowledge, so was the woodland prey. But why would ThunderClan need more prey? It was greenleaf, the prey should be running _wild_ in their territory. _Unless something has been scaring their prey off? Or the prey is infected?_ Swallowstar and Railheart seemed to have this same notion, and shared a pondering glance.

"Why would you need the Broken Tree, though?" Swallowstar's voice was coy, stopping Palestar with a sly look. "If you hadn't noticed, Palestar, the season is greenleaf. Everyone knows prey is bountiful during greenleaf. Why would you risk war for such a petty, idiotic reason? It's not like you need more prey... right?"

"_Enough!_" Palestar hissed, glaring at the RiverClan leader. "ThunderClan _demands_ the Broken Tree. Would you risk war for such a petty, idiotic reason?" He mimicked, and the fur on Swallowstar's back rose. "Blood will not spill if you hand over what belongs to ThunderClan. If you don't," his muzzle was only a mouselength away from Swallowstar's, "then all who oppose ThunderClan will _choke_ on their own blood!"

A shiver crawled up Pebblepaw's spine like an icy spider, and she tore her gaze away from the white tom. _That... that's what that cat said in my dream!_ A whimper escaped her mouth, and Mistpelt bumped her flank. The medicine cat had been sitting beside her this entire time, but Pebblepaw had been so transfixed by all the commotion that she had forgotten. She looked up, back into Mistpelt's perturbed blue eyes. The look on her mentor's face said _'We need to talk when this is over with'_.

"Fine." Swallowstar growled and then hissed in Palestar's face. The tom shrunk back, ears pinning to the back of his head. "If you want bloodshed, then you will have it. Railheart," she turned to her deputy, "gather five warriors and escort these drypaws back to their border."

Palestar's face twisted with rancor as he watched Swallowstar traipse back to her den. Murmurs arose from the RiverClan cats, and Railheart acquired five warriors as Swallowstar had ordered. Pebblepaw felt dismayed as she stared at Railheart and his patrol of her father, Blackclaw, Owlfang, Willowface, Minnownose, and Cranefoot usher the ThunderClan cats out of the RiverClan camp. But before Mistpelt could inquire about Pebblepaw, Snailpaw padded over and bumped his sister affectionately on the head. The long-haired apprentice seemed concerned for his sister.

"You look like you've seen the river flood," Snailpaw meowed, giving Pebblepaw a quick lick on her nose.

"Well, it's not every day that those snake-hearted Thundercats waltz into RiverClan camp," she speculated. It was like a wave of fresh water to see her brother's familiar visage after all that pandemonium. "I don't think I've ever seen Swallowstar that upset. I was worried she'd claw Palestar on the face!"

"He'd deserve it," Snailpaw muttered darkly, glancing away from his sister.

Behind her, Mistpelt _mrrowed_. Pebblepaw sighed, and bumped Snailpaw back and licked his nose. "I better get going, Mistpelt wants to talk to me about something. Stay safe, okay, Snailpaw? I don't want to see you in the medicine cats' den any time soon."

"Of course." He meowed, dipping his head goodbye and then walking away. She sighed again. It had been such a long time since she had a conversation with her brother. Ever since they'd become apprentices they hadn't gotten to spend much time together, since Pebblepaw was a medicine cat apprentice. She heard the medicine cats' den bush rustle as Mistpelt entered. She turned around and followed suit.

Inside, Mistpelt lie in her nest, licking her paw and drawing it over her head. Pebblepaw waited for her to finish, sitting down on her own nest and watching her mentor warily. Finally, Mistpelt turned her attention to her.

"Pebblepaw... your eyes are always tired." Mistpelt admitted. Pebblepaw felt a flash of guilt; Mistpelt always wanted the best for her, but Pebblepaw had just brushed her off. She didn't want her mentor to worry... but pushing her away made her worry more. Pebblpaw hung her head, unable to continue looking into Mistpelt's disquieted gaze. "Willowface told me, ever since your mother had died, you've had a terrible time sleeping. She said you'd try your hardest to stay awake, and often woke up crying. You have them every night, don't you?" She asked, and then lowered her voice, "Be honest with me, Pebblepaw."

"... yes."

"Why are you so apprehensive? Are your dreams so bad that you can't even tell your mentor?"

... blood. The smell of blood teased at Pebblepaw's nose, and became so pungent she had a hard time not scrunching up her face. Terror engulfed her entire body and she lowered her head even more. She could hear Mistpelt's voice, but she couldn't hear what the she-cat was saying; not over her pulsating heart. Her heartbeat was so loud she winced every thump. She felt a paw on her flank, the voice growing louder. "_Pebblepaw!_"

Her eyes flicked up at Mistpelt, and the entrancement broke. She let out a breath and looked away again. "S-sorry... I'm just... just worried about A-Alderwhisker... he had to escort the ThunderClan cats back to the border... sorry... what were you saying?"

Mistpelt exhaled. Pebblepaw could tell she was trying her mentor's patience. Her excuse was shoddy at best, and she knew Mistpelt didn't buy it, but the she-cat didn't inquire any further. The gray medicine cat curled up in her nest and didn't look at Pebblepaw again. "When you're ready to answer me, I'll be waiting." Her meow was monotone and felt like a thorn to Pebblepaw's heart, but the apprentice didn't say anything else. The sun was already setting. It felt like the day had wasted away.

She couldn't go to sleep yet, she hadn't even eaten.

* * *

**ϟ**Ʈ**ɧυ**ɳɖ******ɛɼʗʆɑɲϟ**

**Palestar: **tall long-haired white tom with copper eyes.

**Jaystep: **light gray-brown she-cat with green eyes and a white underbelly, paws, neck, and muzzle.

**Lightningheart: **pale golden tabby tom with yellow eyes.

**Nightpaw: **black she-cat with orange eyes.

_warriors_

**Morningfoot: **dilute calico she-cat with one green eye.

**Brightfur: **ginger-and-white tom with blue eyes.

**Bleakstripe: **silver tabby she-cat with yellow eyes. _apprentice is Flypaw_

**Antfang: **small black tom with green eyes. _apprentice is Gingerpaw_

**Eagletail: **large brown tabby tom with yellow eyes.

**Cloudpelt: **very pale gray tom with golden eyes. _apprentice is Firpaw_

**Roseheart: **dark ginger tabby tom with green eyes.

**Laurelclaw: **white tom with yellow eyes. _apprentice is Burdockpaw_

**Ashflower: **gray tabby she-cat with amber eyes.

**Darkwhisker: **dark gray tom with yellow eyes.

_apprentices_

**Flypaw: **small black tom with green eyes.

**Firpaw: **gray-brown tabby tom with amber eyes.

**Gingerpaw: **ginger tabby she-cat with green eyes.

**Burdockpaw: **blue-gray she-cat with copper eyes.

_queens_

**Waspnose: **golden tabby she-cat with orange eyes.

**Frogfang: **brown spotted she-cat with yellow eyes.

_elders_

**Scarface: **black she-cat with green eyes and a very battlescarred face.

**Toadflower: **brown tortoiseshell she-cat with orange eyes.

**Daffodilfoot: **bright golden tom with green eyes.


	4. ƇɧɑթȶɛՒƑიυՒ

**◈ƇɧɑթȶɛՒƑ**ი********υ**Ւ**********

Pebblepaw slunk out of the medicine cats' den, a gentle drizzle spraying her pelt as she strode across the clearing. One cat was hunched over the fresh-kill pile; it was Eveningpaw, a dark gray tabby who was Pebblepaw and Snailpaw's littermate after their mother died. Eveningpaw turned her head to the side as Pebblepaw approached. "Feels nice, doesn't it?" The she-cat purred, lifting her head slightly upward. As long as Pebblepaw could remember, Eveningpaw had been fond of water. Snailpaw had said when they went fishing she was always the first in and always the last out.

"I suppose, if you're a fish," Pebblepaw purred back, clawing a trout from the pile. Eveningpaw was munching on a bleak that looked fresh out of the river. "Did you catch that?" Pebblepaw asked idly, side-eying Eveningpaw as she chomped into her trout. Eveningpaw nodded, licking the blood along her jaws. She twined her tail with Pebblepaw's, smiling.

"It's scary, isn't it?" Eveningpaw asked, her smile seeming sad. She lowered her head and tore the last of her bleak's meat off its bones, and talked as she chewed. "I've never been in a war, and..." she swallowed, "I've never seen Swallowstar that furious in my entire life." Her voice sounded humorous, but the look in her eyes told Pebblepaw that she _was _scared, and absolutely serious. Pebblepaw rubbed her head on the she-cat's wet shoulder.

"It'll be alright, Eveningpaw." _I've never seen her like this before. She always seemed so fearless._ Pebblepaw thought, chewing through the fat of her bite. Seeing her friend this scared made her even more scared. She thought back to when they were kits, when her mother, Mothfur, had died. Eveningpaw who was Eveningkit then, had comforted the sad and confused Pebblekit. She was Pebblekit's voice when Pebblekit was too depressed or scared to speak for herself, and Pebblepaw had always admired Eveningpaw for that.

Eveningpaw dug a hole to bury the remains of her prey in. She nudged her nose against Pebblepaw's head and briefly purred at her. "I know. We'll be alright. I'm still scared, though," she chuckled, and Pebblepaw nudged her back. "May the sun warm your back and the fish leap into your paws. Goodnight, Pebblepaw."

"Goodnight, Eveningpaw."

She watched her friend pad toward the apprentices' den and felt her heart drop. It wasn't good on her to see Eveningpaw so down. She'd have to be strong for her; Eveningpaw wouldn't be able to stand up under all this pressure without someone to lean on. Sighing, Pebblepaw finished her trout, buried it, and then walked back to the medicine cats' den. She barely noticed the sharp essence of herbs as she stepped in. She ignored the unease bubbling within her as she curled up in her nest. Slowly, she fell asleep...

* * *

In her ears... she heard... ebullient popping... and something hot and thick like honey against her fur, dragging her away...

She gasped and shot up, panting, her distraught gaze scanning her surroundings. It was the same forest from last night, except... what was that, sticking to her?

She looked down.

_Blood! Where did all this blood come from? _As soon as she saw the dark red liquid clotting in her pelt, she smelt its acrid, deathly malodor and gagged. Frantically she waded out of the lake of blood, struggling to get out. At the bank of the bloody lake, she could make out half-rotten carcasses littered across the soil. She clenched her teeth, resisting the urge to throw up. Finally, she made it out of the blood, and fell against the ground where she rolled in the grass. _Why is this happening to me? _Pebblepaw thought bitterly, feeling agitated as her confusion, sadness, and anger all battled for dominance over her mind.

She noticed the sound of pawsteps too late. When she looked up, she saw the same cat from her dream last night... a dark, spotted brown tabby with piercing yellow eyes. She stood before her, scowling.

"You are _such _a pest," the she-cat growled. "Why do you keep coming back? You don't _belong _here!"

"I don't know!" Pebblepaw cried, feeling a surge of frustration. She was lost in this gloomy, eerie place, and the last thing she needed was some surly she-cat trying to chase her away! "Just leave me alone, okay? I don't know why I'm here! I don't know! This is where I go when I fall asleep, I don't know why!"

When she looked back, the she-cat's expression had softened, but she still looked rather fierce. "Why don't you stand up? You're lying right next to a corpse."

Pebblepaw inhaled sharply and glimpsed to her side. It was that carrion she had seen before; maggots and worms crawled all over the deep red and fatty flesh. She gasped again and jumped straight up, nearly backing into the she-cat behind her. Pebblepaw backed away, unable to tear her gaze from the dead cat, but the she-cat stepped in front of her and blocked her view. The dark spotted tabby's nostrils flared as she sniffed Pebblepaw.

"Ah... RiverClan. You're a fish-breath, aren't you?" The peculiar she-cat grinned and flicked an ear. "What's your name, runt?"

"What's _yours?_" Pebblepaw's voice was quivering on a growl. The she-cat seemed amused by this and chuckled.

"A plucky little fish-breath, you are. I... am Leopardtail. I was once from WindClan, I believe. But that was, as the elders would say, 'once upon a time'."

She was a little surprised she'd never heard about Leopardtail before. Something about her struck a chord with Pebblepaw. Like she was familiar to her, outside of these persistent, nightly dreams.

"Where is-"

"Ah ah ah." Leopardtail twitched her whiskers and smiled. "Your name, please. Questions after we are properly introduced."

"I'm Pebblepaw, medicine cat apprentice of RiverClan," Pebblepaw meowed hesitantly.

"Good, that wasn't so hard, was it?" Leopardtail laughed, suddenly rolling over onto her back mid-air. Her bottom half became translucent, and Pebblepaw watched, dazed, as Leopardtail circled her like smoke. The spotted tabby reached a paw out and tapped her on the nose, though Pebblepaw did not feel it. Her giggle seemed far-off an echoed against nothing.

"_Where _am I?" Pebblepaw inquired.

"Isn't it obvious? You are in a dream."

"That doesn't make any sense!" She snapped and shook her head. "Why are you here? Why do I have these dreams _every _night? Why are they always so gruesome and disgusting?"

"I know none of the answers that you are seeking, river pebble." Leopardtail had an oddly sincere expression as she peered upon Pebblepaw. "Sometimes there are lost souls here in the dream, but never those that are living. I have just as many questions as you, I'm afraid."

"Are you always here, though?"

"For as long as I have died. My memories before this place are relatively hazy. I lose a bit of my living self each day. Though," she snickered, "time flows endlessly here, so you can't really tell days apart, if there are any."

Pebblepaw found the more questions she asked, the more questions she ended up with. She sighed and looked away from the floating, ghostly cat, and exhaled slowly. "You say you're dead, right? You're a spirit?"

"Yes, to my knowledge."

"Then why aren't you in StarClan? Or the Dark Forest?"

Leopardtail seemed to mull over this, one paw up to her chin. "I... do not know." Pebblepaw let out an exasperated sigh and Leopardtail raised her brow at her. "I've never really thought about it before. Hey!" The spotted tabby's sudden exclaimation startled Pebblepaw, and her pelt spiked up. "You say you come here every night, is that so? If you come here every night, perhaps we could unravel this riddle together, hmm? Both you and I have something to gain, yes?"

The medicine cat apprentice tilted her head to the side and snapped an ear as if a fly had landed on it. She pondered. Although Leopardtail had complied with her - mostly, anyway - she was still somewhat wary. But, she figured, looking up into the tabby's brilliant yellow eyes; she didn't really have a choice, did she? This she-cat was now a part of her dreams, for better or for worse, and if Leopardtail could help Pebblepaw be rid of them... well, she was willing to give it a try.

"Sure."

"Wonderful," the spotted tabby chuckled, her voice and body slowly disappearing as Pebblepaw's vision faded into blackness...


End file.
